title: Needs, expectations and attendance among participants of a cancer wellness centre in Montreal, Quebec.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between needs, expectations, and attendance patterns among users of a cancer wellness centre to better access future programming and improve attendance.
  
  
  METHODS
  We interviewed staff from 18 cancer wellness centers in Canada and the United States to assess if our attendance expectations were realistic. Then, from a total sample of non-users in 2008 (n  =  67) and infrequent users (n  =  67) at the Hope & Cope Wellness Centre in Montreal, we randomly selected individuals from each group who registered and never returned (n  =  16), and those who registered and returned 1-3 times (n  =  17). Telephone interviews were conducted using a brief questionnaire. We used a phenomenological approach to assess the meaning of attendance for the registrants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both groups of participants described similar reasons for not attending such as health complications, scheduling conflicts, child care, language issues, and parking restrictions. However, non-users focused specifically on functional aspects such as administrative issues and scheduling, and distance from the centre, while infrequent users expressed more emotional disappointments such as feeling more depressed and inability to engage with others.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Strategies are suggested to optimize service delivery for short-term attendees, including home-exercise programming, virtual support, outreach systems, and caregiving support. Information from other wellness centers in Canada and the United States revealed similar trends in attendance but also revealed a wide range of programs and systems of data recording.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study have implications for cancer survivors, for health care providers, for the development of strategies to address participation barriers, and for future research on understanding optimal use of wellness centers.
authors.affiliation: Hope & Cope, Jewish General Hospital, Department of Oncology, McGill University, 4635 Cote St. Catherine Road, Montreal, Quebec H3W 1M1, Canada. tanya.fitzpatrick@mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Tanya R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Remmer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003144:Communication Barriers; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D020446:Fitness Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology; D011792:Quebec; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States